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ETHICAL BREEDERS

On this page I have included some tips to look for and some hints on what you should expect from an ethical and reputable breeder.

One of the main ways to start is to do research. There are many good sites on the web that help you narrow down what breed fits your lifestyle. The next thing is weeding out the "Puppy Mills".

Puppy mills are "CONCENTRATION CAMPS" for dogs. They are a life filled with hunger,disease, despair and loneliness. The dogs are kept in small cages and bred continually. The people doing this are in it for MONEY. They don't care about the dogs or the puppies they breed. They usually have a variety of breeds that are quite popular and easy sellers. Sometimes they only have the one breed but will have 20 or more. It is very difficult to give individual attention to this amount of dogs unless in a large, well-run kennel with lots of help, which is an expensive undertaking. Puppy-millers DON'T spend money on their dogs, they make money on them. It is their main source of income.

It is very hard to do but if you find yourself at a place like this, PLEASE, walk away without purchasing and report the conditions to the local authorities. Every "pity" purchase continues the cycle.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Reputable breeders feel a responsibility toward the breed, the dogs they have bred and to the people who have dogs from them. They spend time and money on matters they think are in the best interests of the breed such as testing for genetic problems in the breed. They will carefully screen potential new owners and will provide a WRITTEN contract and health guarantee. They will ALWAYS take a dog back if an owner cannot keep it. It is this responsibility and passion that divides the puppy mills from the ethical breeder.

CLEANLINESS

Normal doggy odours are unavoidable, but the dogs and facilities should be clean. A sanitary environment is a healthy environment. The dogs should be cleaned and well groomed. Puppies can be quite messy, but extensive filth on the dogs is a sign of neglect.

ATTITUDE

Happy, healthy animals are bright-eyed, energetic, and curious about strangers. They may also be a bit cautious but not afraid. Lethargic, bleary eyed dogs that hardly look up or puppies that cower away or don't join in the playing are warning signs. It could be a sign of ill-health or poor socialization.

INFORMATION

The breeder should be able to provide information on dogs in the pedigree, not just show you a display of ribbons. Reputable breeders are usually fanatics on the subject and should be able to tell you more than you want to know about where the dogs are, what they're doing etc. The breeder should provide you with written feeding instructions and schedule, a minimum 3 generation pedigree, health record including worming and shots, a written health guarantee and a copy of the written contract. They should also include a care sheet on common problems in the breed and signs to look for. It should also include some preventative tips for these conditions.

Above all, they should include contact information in case of questions that you think of later. It is impossible to think of everything at the time of purchase. The breeder should indicate a willingness to be available for future consultation.

ETHICAL BREEDERS CARE!!!

They want you to keep in contact. They care about the lives they have produced. They want to know the happy things, the silly things that their puppies do. They want to know of any health problems, such as allergies etc. in order to evaluate their breeding programs. They cannot do this without input and information from you, the new owners. If they are unaware of problems they cannot work to correct them. It is up to you to keep in contact. Just a short note once or twice a year. Pictures would be nice, too.